


consort

by Moransroar



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel, Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Alternate Universe - Royalty, King Tony Stark, M/M, Mutual Pining, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Pining, attendant peter parker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:40:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25669087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moransroar/pseuds/Moransroar
Summary: King Tony has a big day ahead of him, and his devoted attendant Peter makes sure everything is perfect for said big day to commence.
Relationships: Peter Parker/Tony Stark
Comments: 6
Kudos: 109





	consort

**Author's Note:**

  * For [forgedinflame](https://archiveofourown.org/users/forgedinflame/gifts), [KassWritesStarker](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KassWritesStarker/gifts).



> Stunning moodboard by the absolutely wonderful and amazing KassWritesStarker aka [Pepperonyspizza](https://pepperonyspizza.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr. Follow the link for more superb moodboards!

* * *

“What are you doing?”

“These are going to the King.”

The pastry chef gave him an odd but fond look, and turned the other way to return to his own daily tasks. He must have grown accustomed to Peter being in the kitchen this early in the morning at least every other day. While it was the kitchen staff’s duty, of course, to prepare their King’s meal, it was often Peter who made sure that everything was tip top.

And that included caking himself in flour to his very elbows just to get this loaf of bread right.

Most didn’t comment on how excessive Peter’s caretaking sometimes was. They just took it as something that was in the young man’s nature, or that Peter was so dedicated to their leader that he was willing to go these lengths to make sure that everything was perfect for him.

People found it either impressive, or excessive, and there really was no in between.

The staff had since learned to let Peter just go about doing his own thing. As long as he was mindful of his colleagues around the castle and made sure they were always able to do their job the way they needed to without him being in the way, he was allowed to do as he pleased. So the pastry chef just shook his head, and let Peter continue what he was doing.

Peter finally folded the dough, plopped it into a pan, and slid it into the oven to bake. While it baked he rushed through the castle like a whirlwind, preparing the King’s bath and picking flowers out in the gardens to sprinkle into the water in the tub, hanging his morning robe by the fire to warm up before he’d wake, checking on the stable boy to make sure he was preparing the King’s horse for his morning walk, all before quickly returning to finish the breakfast he’d bring him in bed.

Every morning went much like this. Peter got up bright and early to ensure everything went according to plan so that the King’s start of his day was always a good one. It didn’t matter what happened after his morning routine, it didn’t matter what was discussed in the King’s office or what transpired in the throne room or what news was brought forward – as long as Peter made the start (and the end) of his day a good one, the young man felt like he could sleep well at night.

Sometimes, when permitted of course, Peter liked to sit with his King during breakfast, just to see how he enjoyed everything that Peter had prepared for him. He loved just sitting with him in the early hours of the morning, when it was just the two of them and the King seemed that little bit friendlier, more open. Peter knew that the second he stepped out of his chambers and into the rest of the castle, he changed into the King he wanted people to see. But when they were alone, he always seemed so much more relaxed. Peter wasn’t the kind of person who could trick himself into thinking something easily, but sometimes he liked to ponder that maybe, just maybe, the King liked him, at least half as much as he liked his King.

Today, Peter hoped that he would get the chance to stay a little bit longer than just for breakfast, because today was a special day.

A few years ago, the King’s wife had passed. Peter was there when it happened. It was tragic, and sudden, and the King had spent months grieving the loss of his other half. Peter was with him through it all to try and get him back on his feet, and today should see the fruit of his labor – because the town of a neighboring kingdom was introducing a princess, a woman who could potentially be the King’s next Queen.

Although Peter wasn’t…too keen on the thought of his King moving on to marry another woman, he knew that it would be good for their kingdom, and if it made the King happy then who was he to feel that it shouldn’t happen?

With a tray loaded with a breakfast consisting only of the freshest ingredients, Peter made his way toward the King’s chambers, greeting fellow staff members along the way. Despite being apprehensive of today’s celebrations, Peter had a skip in his step, although that wasn’t unusual when he was about to go see his King.

The room was dark when Peter entered and set the tray down on the table at the end of the older man’s bed, going over to slide the curtains open to reveal the early morning sunlight streaming in and falling onto the tray of food. The man in the bed stirred, and then beautiful brown eyes opened, and immediately upon finding Peter, the King smiled softly, and the young man’s heart skipped a beat.

“Good morning, my King,” Peter said softly, and stepped forward to help the man sit up against the pillows before he rounded the bed to fetch the tray.

“Good morning, Peter,” the King said, his voice a little rough with sleep still. He yawned, and stretched, before going still when Peter brought over the tray to set it in his lap. His index finger found the two slices of buttered bread, and he gave Peter a satisfied grin when he found it was still warm – as always.

Peter smiled back. There was no denying the things he felt when the King smiled at him like that.

“Big day, my liege,” Peter commented lightly. The man’s brows pinched together as he took a deep breath, as if he was in thought for a moment, before the sigh that followed smoothed out his forehead once more.

“Big day indeed,” he murmured in return, but made no further comment.

He ate, and while he ate Peter sat with him, updating him on how the rest of the castle was preparing for that day’s festivities, as the King requested. The man looked at him attentively while Peter spoke, which had the boy feeling warmer by the minute. Thankfully breakfast didn’t last too long, and before he knew it Peter was accompanying the King to his bath. To give him some privacy, Peter went to fetch the chambermaids to help their monarch dress for the occasion.

Much to the young man’s surprise, before he could slip out to leave them to it, the King requested he stay.

Normally, after breakfast, Peter would take the remnants away to clear up after the meal, after which he’d help the chambermaids clean and prepared the bed for the night once the King had gotten dressed and was already well on his way to the next part of his day. It wasn’t often at all that the King insisted he stay the rest of the morning.

In fact, throughout the day the King would ask for Peter’s presence much more often than he was used to. Not that he was complaining.

Especially not now that Peter was allowed to sit on the table at the end of the King’s bed and watch how the chambermaids helped him into his celebratory robes.

The King looked dashing in just about anything, from his riding gear to his festive drapes to his long johns, but this was something else entirely. He was donned head to toe in something Peter hadn’t seen him wear before, which meant that it must have been made recently – and it was stunning. A royal red, deep and velvety and complimenting the dark of his eyes so very beautifully, contrasted with golden stitching and cuffs and decorations all across, really emphasizing on the King’s nobility.

The King caught Peter looking through the mirror he was standing in front of. Their eyes met briefly, and while Peter was quick to look away, he did give an encouraging smile. He wanted today to go well. He wanted today to be the day where their King would find his happiness again, and finally be able to move on from the grief that had consumed him for so very long. Even though Peter wanted to be the one to banish that grief, he knew it wasn’t his place. The King would do much better with an actual Queen by his side. Not some lowly servant.

Still, moments like these made the work that Peter did at the castle worth it. They made everything worth it. When the King smiled at him, or requested he stay with him a little bit longer, or asked him how things were going among the staff, it renewed his energy and made him feel like everything he did had its own purpose, and that it was valuable.

Peter knew that he was in far too deep at this point, if he was thinking like that. But he didn’t care. He loved his King.

“How do I look?” The King asked, and it took Peter a moment to realize that he’d asked him, not someone else in the room.

“Sir? Oh—you look fantastic, of course,” Peter answered quickly.

The King rose a brow and gave him a look that Peter could only call skeptical, and said, “I don’t believe a word you’re saying,” even though it sounded a little bit like he was teasing. The young man quickly stood and stepped forward to be able to look the King in the eye instead of through the mirror. “Tell me what you really think,” the other said.

“I’m telling the truth, my King,” Peter promised sincerely with a small smile, “But if you want to hear what I really think, then I wouldn’t say you look fantastic. I would say you look stunning, if I’m allowed to do so.”

The King turned back to gaze at his own reflection, and hummed thoughtfully. When Peter looked toward the mirror too, he could have sworn he noticed the King’s eyes quickly swivel, as if he hadn’t been looking at himself at all.

“I’ll allow it,” the King said warmly after a moment.

After the chambermaids had left the room, the King turned to Peter, and put a hand on his shoulder.

“I want you to stay with me today,” he said, voice a touch hushed, as if he didn’t want to risk people overhearing even though they were alone. Peter probably looked as confused as he felt, but what could he do other than accept it?

“Me?” he asked, however – just to be sure.

“Yes, you. Stay with me. _Please_.”

Peter had never heard the King say please before. Frankly, he was surprised.

“I don’t know how today is going to go, but I’d like to have a familiar face around. A friend. You are my friend, aren’t you?”

Peter nodded mutely, stunned into silence. The King squeezed his shoulder gently and continued.

“Good. Now let’s go. I have the feeling today is going to be a long day, but the sooner we start, the sooner we should finish, no?”

The King dropped his arm and made his way toward the door that lead out into the corridors of the castle, which would ultimately lead the two of them toward the festivities that were being set up outside across the gardens and in the ballroom.

And again, the King did something Peter had never seen him do before. He reasoned that the older man must have been nervous, if he was looking for reassurance from Peter the way he seemed to be.

As Peter watched, the King turned around, looked at him, and held out his hand.

He was waiting.

The King was waiting for his servant.

Peter stepped forward and tentatively put his hand into the King’s where it hovered in the air, calm and patient and expectant. His heart surged when the King’s fingers folded gently around his own, his fingers warm, but never warmer than the smile the man sent him.

He had the feeling that today was a day of change. He wasn’t sure if it was for the worse or for the better, but he suppose that he was just going to have to see.

As long as his King would always stay his King.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for a request I got on Tumblr. [Come send me a prompt!](https://iloveyou3thousand.tumblr.com/)


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